The present invention relates to holders for lipstick and other cosmetic sticks and, more particularly, to a unitary lipstick holder in which the cover may be readily opened by one hand.
Holders for lipsticks and other cosmetic sticks are widely employed, and they may be found in various configurations, fabricated from various materials, and employ a unitary assembly or a separate caps or covers. Unitary assemblies which minimize the likelihood of losing damaging a removable cap are desirable, and various constructions have been proposed including those illustrated in Richter U.S. Pat. No. 2,002,716, Fullmer et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,091,312, Satz et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,404,815, Chabbert U.S. Pat. No. 2,463,086, Tursky U.S. Pat. No. 2,552,697, Calhoun U.S. Pat. No. 2,610,732 and Gruska U.S. Pat. No. 3,709,618.
Some unitary holders require two hands for manipulation, others require relatively complex structures and are difficult to assemble or to fabricate; and others are relatively unattractive in their final design or require substantial component modification of components if one desired to modify the external configuration or dimensions. As a result, there has remained a need to provide simple attractive economical cosmetic stick holders which can be manipulated by one hand to expose the cosmetic stick contained therewithin.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel holder for cosmetic sticks which may be readily fabricated and which is easily manipulated by one hand to expose the lipstick or the like.
It is also an object to provide such a cosmetic stick holder which may be readily modified in external configuration and appearance while maintaining the ease of manipulation and the same operational components.
Another object is to provide such a cosmetic stick holder which may be fabricated relatively economically from a series of easily fabricated parts and which may be quickly and readily assembled.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has now been found that the foregoing and related objects may be readily attained in a cosmetic stick holder comprising a housing providing an opening at its upper end and a sidewall having at least one access aperture therein for manipulation of an element contained therewithin. Seated in the housing is a body member with a generally annular cross section and providing an opening at its upper end. The body member has a base and a generally circular sidewall extending upwardly from the base with at least one aperture therein aligned with the aperture of the housing sidewall.
A generally cylindrical guide member is disposed in the body member and has a pair of diametrically spaced, axially extending slots therein. Disposed between the body and guide members is a tubular thimble of generally annular cross section, and it is rotatable relative thereto. The thimble has a helically extending channel on its inner surface and is supported on one of the guide and body members in alignment with the apertures of the housing and body member so as to be manipulatable therethrough.
Disposed within the guide member is a carrier cup of generally circular cross section, and it has a base, a sidewall, and guide pins extending radially outwardly from its sidewall through the axially extending slots of the guide member. A guide pin is also slidably seated in the helical channel of the thimble so that rotation of the thimble produces movement of the carrier cup axially of the guide member. A rider is disposed within the body member adjacent its lower end, and it is movable axially therewithin. Its upper surface abuts the lower surface of the carrier cup which is vertically supported thereon.
A pair of links are disposed in the housing outwardly of the body member, and each has an elongated connector element extending axially between the housing and body member. Each of the links also has a lower leg element having one end pivotally connected to the lower end of its connector element, and the lower leg elements extend in opposed relationship therefrom. Each of the lower leg elements is also pivotally connected intermediate its length to the body member and has its other end pivotally connected to the rider. A pair of cover members have one end pivotally supported on the upper end of the links, and they are dimensioned and configured to extend across and together close the top opening of the housing when in a horizontal disposition. Axial movement of the rider downwardly in the body member causes the lower leg elements of the links to pivot upwardly and move the connector element upwardly to pivot the cover members downwardly to close the opening of the housing. Axial movement of the rider upwardly in the body member causes the lower leg elements to pivot downwardly to move the connector elements downwardly and pivot the cover members upwardly and draw them downwardly into the housing to open the top opening of the housing.
Preferably, the housing includes a cap on the upper end of its sidewall and it provides a rim extending about the opening in the top of the housing. Desirably, the cap provides horizontally extending shoulders below the rim upon which the cover members seat in the horizontal closed position thereof.
In the preferred embodiment, there is included spring means biasing the rider and thereby the carrier cup upwardly, and this spring means acts upon the rider and thereby the carrier cup. The pivotal connections of the lower leg elements of the links to the body member and rider are oriented to provide a toggle action for the links. Desirably, the body member includes a cylindrical pedestal on its base wall providing an upwardly opening cavity, and the spring means is a helical compression spring having its lower end seated in the pedestal cavity. The rider has a downwardly opening cavity seating the upper end of the spring.
In the preferred embodiment, the rider has rectilinear side surfaces with horizontally extending channels and the pivotal connection of the lower leg elements thereto is provided by pins seated in these channels. The links also have upper leg elements pivotally connected to the upper ends of the connector elements and upon which the cover members are mounted. There is also included means biasing the cover members to pivot downwardly about the pivotal connection to the connector elements.